Shout

Shout
Laurie Halse Anderson
Viking, March, 2019 289 pages
Grades 9-Up
Narrative Poetry

Twenty years after the release of Anderson's groundbreaking novel Speak, she turns again to the subject matter of sexual violence and consent, this time offering an autobiographical poetic account of her own experiences that led to the crafting of the classic book. Starting with the background of her parents and moving through her childhood, Anderson traces the elements that made up the person she grew into and the events leading up to the rape at age thirteen that spiraled her down a rabbit hole, taking her a lifetime to process. Recovery, adulthood, healing, and anger at the present male-dominated culture of sexual entitlement in which we live follow, offering readers hope and a call to arms.

I do not like to blog about books that won't be available for publication until closer to the release date, but this book is an exception. I had the opportunity to hear Anderson "speak" last week and was moved by both her words and statistics. While working on a different project a year ago, Anderson became inspired by the #MeToo movement and the amount of women finally feeling brave enough to come forward and share their experiences. She said that the poems started to fall down out of the sky to her, begging to be put on the page. The result is this companion book to the classic Speak, but it is not a sequel. Speak is a fictionalized account of Anderson's experiences written in a cathartic way to get them out, yet not expose too much of herself. In Shout Anderson gets personal and honest and readers get her whole emotional story, warts and all. The poetry is beautiful and carefully written. The poems are arranged chronologically, creating a biography of sorts. Sometimes they are hard to read and uncomfortable, but they are always honest and real. Speak has validated the experiences for a whole generation of girls and encouraged them to find their own voices and strength. Now that generation is grown up and Anderson has become a true presence in the movement. This volume is for these now grown-up readers who need to hear the real story and it feels more appropriate for an adult audience, yet mature teen fans will also find much of value. Through Anderson's efforts and words, as well as those by other brave women, we have come a long way, yet judging by recent political events, we still have a long way to go.